Russia demands guarantees Nato will not expand further on eve of US talks
- High-level meetings are due this week between Russia and US aimed at easing rising tensions over Ukraine: Kazakhstan ‘will not be discussed’
- Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov says it is ‘naive to assume progress, let alone rapid progress’ at the coming talks
The country needed “guarantees” from the alliance that it will not expand further, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told the Interfax news agency on Sunday.
Ryabkov also stressed his nation was not planning to discuss the unrest in Kazakhstan with the US delegation led by Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman. The former Soviet republic has seen major anti-government protests in recent days and asked a Russian-led military alliance for help.
On Saturday, a senior White House official said the US is ready to discuss with Russia the two countries’ missile systems and military exercises.
US warns of ‘massive consequences’ if Russia escalates against Ukraine
The high-ranking talks in Geneva on Monday come amid rumblings in the US and EU over a potential invasion of Ukraine by Russia.
They are due to be followed on Wednesday by a meeting between Russia and all 30 members of the transatlantic Nato military alliance, which Moscow insists Ukraine must not join.
On Thursday there will be talks in Vienna within the framework of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).
The US has accused Russia of building up troops in areas on the border with Ukraine and wants the soldiers pulled back.
Biden tells Ukraine leader US will ‘respond decisively’ if Russia invades
Russia denies any plans of invasion. For its part, Moscow has spoken out against the admission of further Eastern European countries to Nato and is demanding guarantees that Ukraine will never become a member of the defence alliance.
Washington has already roundly rejected many proposals made by Moscow to defuse tensions.